Manual packing device for cigarette tubes, in particular cigarette filter tubes with a variable-length tobacco packing chamber hand filling device for cigarette tubes, particularly filter cigarette tubes, with a tobacco press chamber variable in length

ABSTRACT

Hand filling device for cigarette tubes, particularly for filter cigarette tubes, with a tobacco press chamber extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, which is formed by a casing ( 12 ) located in the base portion ( 14 ), a press head ( 16 ) provided on a lid ( 18 ) covering the casing ( 12 ) and hinged to the casing ( 12 ), an ejector slide ( 22 ) for ejecting a tobacco skein pressed in a tobacco chamber via an opening ( 24 ) provided in the casing ( 12 ) into a (filter) cigarette tube, of a clamp device ( 59 ), which holds the (filter) cigarette tube in a clamping manner on a socket ( 50 ) located at the outlet of the tobacco press chamber, and of a resiliently-engaging, snap-in or the like device ( 60 ) for detachable connection of casing ( 12 ) and lid ( 18 ). In order to adapt the filling length of the tobacco chamber, there is associated with the ejector slide ( 22 ) an off-settable stop means ( 84 ), by means of which the tobacco filling position of the ejector slide ( 22 ) is alterable, adapting to the desired filling length of the tobacco press chamber.

The invention relates to a hand filling device for cigarette tubes,particularly for filter cigarette tubes with a tobacco press chamberextending in the longitudinal direction of the same, which is formed bya casing located in a base portion, a press head provided on the lidcovering the casing and hinged to the lid, an ejector slide and ifnecessary a spoon connected therewith for ejecting a tobacco skeinpressed in the tobacco press chamber out of said chamber, via an openingprovided in the casing into a (filter) cigarette tube, of a clamp device, which holds the (filter) cigarette tube in a clamping manner on asocket located at the outlet of the tobacco press chamber, and of aresilently-engaging, snap-in or the like device for detachable connectionof casing and lid.

Such a hand filling device for cigarette tubes, particularly for filtercigarette tubes, with a tobacco press chamber extending in thelongitudinal direction of the same, is known from DE-PS 2021738. Thetobacco press chamber of this hand filling device is substantiallyformed by a casing located in the base portion, and a press head, whichis provided on a lid covering the casing and hinged to the casing.Furthermore, the tobacco press chamber of this hand filling device isdelimited by a spoon and by an ejector slide for ejecting a pressedtobacco skein out of the tobacco press chamber via an opening providedin the casing into a (filter) cigarette tube. This hand filling devicealso has a clamp device, which holds the (filter) cigarette tube in aclamping manner on a socket located at the outlet of the tobacco presschamber. Finally, this hand filling device also has aresiliently-engaging, snap-in or the like device for detachableconnection of casing and lid, which has a substantially hook-shapedresiliently engaging nose connected to the free end of the lid oppositethe hinge points between lid and casing, and located on a resilientelastic web, said nose being engageable with a resilient projectionprovided on the casing. Thus the resiliently engaging nose extendsroughly in the direction of the hinge point between the lid and casingand the resiliently engaging projection roughly in the oppositedirection thereto.

The similarly functioning hand filling device is also known fromDE-4207196 A 1, this hand filling device involving a further developmentof the aforementioned device according to DE-PS 20 21 738. The furtherdevelopment relates to the already mentioned resiliently-engaging orsnap-in device for detachable connection of casing and lid and to aparticularly lightweight and yet stable construction of the device as awhole.

The object underlying the invention is to make available a hand fillingdevice of the type named, the tobacco press chamber of which isadaptable to various lengths of prefabricated (filter) cigarette tubes,i.e. in particular to “king size” tubes on the one hand and “regularsize” tubes on the other hand.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the characterisingfeatures of claim 1, constructive details of preferred embodiments beingdescribed in the sub-claims.

Thus the core of the present invention resides in the fact that measuresare taken which permit adaptation of the filling length of the tobaccopress chamber to the length of the tobacco receiving space of aprefabricated cigarette paper tube, particularly filter cigarette papertube, to be filled, without the function of the hand filling devicerequiring to be otherwise altered. It is merely necessary to dispose astop means in an off-settable fashion, by means of positioning of whichthe desired filling length of the tobacco press chamber may bedetermined.

In that the ejector slide is connected with a spoon, its length must beso selected that even at the minimum filling length of the tobacco presschamber it is still located within the same, i.e. does not projectoutwards through the opening provided in the casing. According to theinvention, at least two different filling lengths of the tobacco presschamber may be adjusted, i.e. one for filling a “king size” tube and theother a “regular size” tube. Other adjustments however may be envisaged,insofar as corresponding tubes are available. By the filling length ofthe tobacco press chamber is meant the maximum length of the same whenthe ejector slide is fully retracted. In this position, the tobaccopress chamber is filled with tobacco.

The present invention can also naturally be used for hand fillingdevices, e.g. for hand filling devices with a pivoting lever foractuating the ejector slide, wherein a rack passed about a gear wheelcan be provided between the pivot lever and the ejector slide. In thiscase the stop means provided according to the invention may either beassociated directly with the ejector slide or with the pivot lever, insuch a way that the maximum retracted position of the ejector slide canbe altered.

Accordingly, the filling length of the tobacco press chamber of coursealso changes.

Furthermore, it is irrelevant whether for purposes of filling thecigarette paper tube, the ejector slide is moved relative to the casingor the casing relative to the ejector slide. In both cases the tobaccofilling position of the ejector slide is set by a stop means which maybe either off-set on the casing relative to the ejector slide, or on theejector slide relative to the casing.

Further features, advantages and details of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention, and with reference to the drawing, which shows:

FIG. 1: a perspective view of an embodiment of a hand filling devicedesigned according to the invention, with partly opened lid;

FIG. 2: a perspective view of an embodiment of a hand filling deviceaccording to the invention, in accordance with FIG. 1, with the lidopened further;

FIG. 3: a perspective side view of an embodiment of a hand fillingdevice according to the invention, according to FIGS. 1 and 2 withclosed lid;

FIG. 4: a perspective side view of an embodiment of a hand fillingdevice according to the invention, according to FIGS. 1 to 3, with thelid partly opened;

FIG. 5: a side view of an embodiment of a hand filling device accordingto the invention, according to FIGS. 1 to 4, with the lid furtheropened;

FIG. 6: a side view of an embodiment of a lid of the hand filling deviceaccording to FIGS. to 5 according to the invention in an enlarged view;

FIG. 7: a medial longitudinal section through an embodiment of a casingof the hand filling device according to the invention according to FIGS.1 to 5 in an enlarged view;

FIG. 8: a side view of an embodiment of the base portion of the handfilling device according to the invention according to FIGS. 1 to 5 inan enlarged view;

FIG. 9: a front view of an embodiment of the base portion according toarrow X in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10: a front view of an embodiment of the casing according to arrowY in FIG. 7;

FIG. 11: a view from below of an embodiment of the base portionaccording to FIG. 8;

FIG. 12: the portion on the side of the casing opening on the handfilling device according to the invention, in section, showing therelative position of casing and base portion in the tobacco fillingposition of the device;

FIG. 13: a stop means provided according to the invention fordetermining the filling position of the ejector slide and thus thefilling length of the tobacco press chamber, which is integral in thebase wall of the base portion according to FIG. 11, in plan view and onan enlarged scale;

FIG. 14: the stop means according to FIG. 13 in cross-section along lineXIV—XIV in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15: the stop means according to FIG. 13 in cross-section along lineXV—XV in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16: the hand filling device according to the invention in plan viewshowing a first filling position of the ejector slide relative to thecasing;

FIG. 17: the hand filling device according to the invention in plan viewshowing a second filling position of the ejector slide relative to thecasing;

FIG. 18: the hand filling device in plan view showing a third fillingposition of the ejector slide relative to the casing.

FIGS. 1 to 5 show a hand filling device 10 designed according to theinvention for cigarette tubes (not shown), particularly for filtercigarette tubes (not shown), with a tobacco press chamber extending inthe longitudinal direction of the hand filling device. The tobacco presschamber is formed by a casing 12, which is longitudinally movablylocated in a base portion 14. Further, the tobacco press chamber isdelimited by a press head 16, which is provided on a lid 18 covering thecasing 12 and hinged to the casing 12. In addition, the tobacco presschamber is determined by a spoon 20, and by an ejector slide 22 forejecting a pressed tobacco skein from the tobacco press chamber via anopening 24 provided in the casing 12 into a (filter) cigarette tube. Inthis case the ejector slide 22, which is attached to the base portion14, carries the spoon 20. The slide 22 is enlarged as shown in FIGS. 8and 9 with a back end wall 22′ between the enlarged portion and thespoon 20.

The base portion 14, which is roughly U-shaped in cross-section (see inparticular FIG. 9) has two undercuts 26 for accommodating twocorrespondingly shaped guide rails 28 of the casing 12. In this way thecasing 12 is movable to and fro only in the longitudinal direction ofthe hand filling device 10, in the base portion 14.

According to FIGS. 7,8 and 9 however there is provided between the baseportion 14 and the casing 12 longitudinally accommodated by the baseportion 14, a resiliently engaging or the like device, which causes acertain difficulty of movement at the beginning of the actual fillingprocess in the longitudinal displacement of the casing 12 in the baseportion 14. In this way involuntary release of the casing 12 from thebase portion 14 is reliably avoided. The resiliently engaging device inthis case consists of at least one lateral projection 30 on at least oneof the two guide rails 28 of the casing 12, which is received by theundercut 26, regarded as a guide means, of the base portion 14. Moreadvantageously however the lateral projection, attached at least to oneof the two guide rails 28 of the casing 12, may be resiliently engagedinto a lateral recess 32, adapted thereto, in the undercut or undercuts26 regarded as a guide means, of the base portion. In the present casethere are associated with the projection 30 three recesses 32, which areformed at axial intervals from one another on the undercut 26. Theserecesses 32 correspond to different relative positions between thecasing 12 on the one hand and the base portion 14 together with theejector slide 22 on the other hand, these different relative positionsbeing determined by a stop means located in an off-settable manner inthe base wall 44 of the base portion 14. In the embodiment shown, theprojection 30 on the guide rail 28 of the casing 12 and the recesses 32in the undercut 26 of the base portion 14 are attached in the area ofthe end 36 of lid 18 or base portion 14 close to the hinge point 32between lid 18 and casing 12.

Furthermore, the two side walls 38 of the base portion 14, formed in aU-shape in cross-section, in the area of the end 40 of the base portion14 opposite the hinge point 34 between lid 18 and casing 12 are providedwith grasping recesses 42 or the like. The grasping recesses 42 offer asecure hold, particularly to the thumb and to the first finger of theuser during the actual filling procedure, i.e. during longitudinalmovement of the casing 12 with the lid 18 hinged thereon within the baseportion 14. Slippage during the actual filling procedure is thuseliminated.

As shown in FIG. 11, recesses 46 are provided in the base wall 44connecting the two side walls 38 of the base portion 14 together, inorder to save material and thus to reduce the weight of the hand fillingdevice 10 as a whole. The ejector slide 22 carrying the spoon 20 ismounted according to FIG. 8 in the area of the end 36 of the baseportion 14 close to the hinge point 34 between lid 18 and casing 12.

For filling tobacco into the tobacco press chamber, the casing 12 has afilling opening 48, and for ejecting the pressed tobacco skein from thetobacco chamber, an opening 24, which connects with a socket 50. Thesocket 50 serves to accommodate the (filter) cigarette tube about to befilled with tobacco. Opening 24 and socket 50 are disposed in the areaof the end 40 of the base 14 opposite the hinge point 34 between lid 18and casing 12. Hinged connection of the lid 18 to the casing 12 iseffected in this case by means of two circular projections 52, extendinglaterally outwards, on the lid 18, and which engage in bores 54 ofcorresponding size on the casing 12. The casing 12 has apertures 56 inthe material, preferably in the area of the hinge point 34, in orderfurther to reduce the weight of the hand filling device 10.Reinforcement ribs 58 simultaneously provide a high degree of stabilityand strength of the hand filling device 10.

Furthermore, the hand filling device 10 comprises a clamp device 59,which holds the cigarette tube in a clamping manner on the socket 50located at the output of the tobacco press chamber, and aresiliently-engaging, snap-in or the like device for detachableconnection of casing 12 and lid 18. The resiliently-engaging, snap-in orthe like device 60 has a resiliently-engaging nose 62, which is locatedat the free end 64 of the lid 18 opposite the hinge point 34 between lid18 and casing 12, and may be brought into engagement with a resilientlyengaging projection 66 provided on the casing 12. Theresiliently-engaging nose 62 and the resiliently-engaging projection 66are substantially hook-shaped, the nose 62 extending roughly in thedirection of the hinge point 34 between lid 18 and casing 12, and theprojection 66 roughly in the opposite direction. The resilient nose 62and resilient projection 66 come into contact when mutually operated viaresiliently-engaging surfaces 68,70. The two resiliently-engagingsurfaces 68,70 of nose 62 or projection 66 lie in a plane 72 standingvertically to the plane of the page, the horizontal plane 74 standingvertical to the plane of the page intersecting at an angle α of 15° to75°, particularly at an angle α of 45°, as can be seen in detail fromFIGS. 6 and 7.

Instead of the resiliently-engaging projection 66, an engagement recess(not shown) can be provided for accommodating the resiliently-engagingnose 62. The nose 62 is located in a resilient elastic web 78, which isin turn connected via a further resilient elastic web 76 to the free end64 of the lid 18. Finally, an additional upwardly projecting actuationweb 80 is integrally moulded on the free end of the lid 18. The functionof the aforementioned webs and resiliently-engaging or snap-in device isdescribed in detail in DE-4207196 A 1, to which reference is made.

The clamp device 59 consists of a clamp piece 82, which upon operationof the resiliently-engaging or snap-in device 60 comes into closecontact on the socket 50. The (filter) cigarette tube is in this wayautomatically clamped securely on the socket 50, and during the entireactual filling procedure, i.e. during the entire ejection movement ofthe tobacco from the tobacco press chamber. The clamp piece 82 ispreferably resiliently elastic, and in particular made of soft plastic,rubber or the like.

The particular feature of the hand filling device described resides inthe fact that, as FIGS. 11 to 18 show in particular, a stop means 84 forfixing the tobacco filling position of the ejector slide 22 relative tothe casing 12 is integrated in the base wall 44 of the base portion 14.This stop means 84 is disposed in a direction parallel to the ejectiondirection of the tobacco in an off-settable way so that the fillinglength of the tobacco press chamber can be correspondingly varied. Forthis purpose the said stop means 84 corresponds with the lower edge 86of the forward end wall, comprising the tobacco ejection opening 24, ofthe casing 12 mounted to be displaceable relative to the base portion14, as can be well seen in FIG. 12.

The stop means 84 in the embodiment shown is in the form of a transverseweb, i.e. as a web transversely to the direction of ejection of thetobacco and roughly parallel to the base wall 44 of the base portion 14.

In particular, the said transverse web is off-settably located within aseparately insertable base wall insert portion 88 in the base wall 44 ofthe base portion 14, off-settable from a normal position correspondingto FIG. 16 in which the filling length of the tobacco press chamber ismaximum (e.g. for filling a king size cigarette tube) into at least one,here two different positions corresponding to FIGS. 17 and 18, in whichthe filling length of the tobacco press chamber is respectively reduced.The different filling lengths of the tobacco press chamber are indicatedby FL1, FL2 and FL3 in FIGS. 16 to 18.

In FIG. 11 and FIG. 13 the stop means or the transverse web 84 definingit, is located in a central position, which corresponds to the relativeposition between casing 12 and base portion 14 as per FIG. 17. In thenormal position, for filling a king size cigarette paper tube, thetransverse web 84 in FIG. 18 is off-set to the left. In order to fill anextremely short cigarette paper tube, the transverse web 84 in FIG. 13is off-set to the right. The two last-named positions correspond to therelative positions shown in FIGS. 16 or 18 of the base portion 14together with the ejector slide 22 on the one hand and the casing 12along with the lid 18 on the other hand.

As can be seen from FIGS. 12 and 14, the transverse web 84 is anintegral part of a plate-like element 90, which is longitudinallymovably mounted within a roughly rectangular aperture 92 of the separatebase wall insert portion 80 and, as here, is variously engageable atthree predetermined points. The plate-like element 90 has on its flatsides associated with the end sides of the transverse web 84, arespective longitudinal web 94, and at a spacing thereabove, a nose-likeprojection 96, between which a respective complementary longitudinal web98 extends through within the aperture 92 in the base wall insertportion 18 for purposes of longitudinal displacement of the plate-likeelement 90. These longitudinal webs 98 have apertures 100 located at anaxial spacing apart, corresponding to the nose-like projections 96, intowhich the said nose-like projections 96 of the plate-like element 90 maybe resiliently engaged. For this purpose, in one of the threeresiliently engaged positions of the plate-like element 90 shown in FIG.13, this latter is pressed downwards in accordance with FIG. 14, so thatthe nose-like projections 96 come into engagement with the complementaryapertures 100. If the plate-like element 90 is to be off-set togetherwith the transverse web 84, the plate-like element 90 must be pressedupwards in accordance with FIG. 15, until the nose-like projections 96disengage from the complementary apertures 100. Then the plate-likeelement 90 can be moved along the longitudinal webs 98 until anotherdesired resiliently engaged position is reached.

In order to be able to insert the plate-like element 90 comprising thetransverse web 84 into the aperture 90 in such a way that the describedcorrespondence with the longitudinal webs 98 can be produced, theaperture 92 in the base wall insert portion 88 has an opening free oflongitudinal webs, through which the plate-like element 90 can beinserted in the way described. After insertion of the plate-like element90, the said opening is again closed. This closure is identified inFIGS. 11,12 and 13 by the reference number 102. The base wall insertportion 88 is formed in the manner of a rectangular frame. The closure102 is formed by a closure plate, which is glued fast after assembly ofthe plate-like element 90. Then there is a secure gluing of the basewall insert portion 88 in the base wall 44. Basically it may also beenvisaged that the base wall 44 is so formed that it has all thefeatures of the described base wall insert portion 88. This embodimentis intended to be covered by the protection. It should however be notedthat in terms of manufacturing technology the last-named embodiment isslightly more expensive, because it is simpler to manufacture theseparate base wall insert part and to integrate it in the base wall 44as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

As already stated in the introduction, there are also hand fillingdevices in which the ejector slide is displaceable relative to thecasing of the hand filling appliance by means of a separate handle. Inthis case the casing has the aforementioned stop in association with theejector slide in such a way that the ejector slide can be moved backeddifferent distances for filling the tobacco press chamber with tobacco.In an appliance with a pivot lever for actuating the ejector slide, thestop means can also be associated with the pivot lever. In every casewhat is involved is a stop means which is off-settable as regardsposition, so that varying filling lengths of the tobacco press chambercan be adjusted.

Basically, a variable alteration in the position of the said stop meansmight be envisaged; in this case the stop means must be provided with aclamping mechanism, so that it can be secured in any optional relativeposition.

Basically, here also a hand filling device for cigarette tubes,particularly filter cigarette tubes, is placed under protection, whichhave a tobacco press chamber extending in the longitudinal direction ofthe said tubes, there being associated with this tobacco press chamber apress head and an ejector slide for ejecting a tobacco skein pressed inthe tobacco press chamber out of said chamber into a (filter) cigarettetube. The tobacco filling position is established by an off-settablestop means, this stop means, as mentioned above, co-operating eitherdirectly with the ejector slide or indirectly with its actuating device.This stop means causes fixing of the maximum retraction of the ejectorslide into its filling position, so that the filling length of thetobacco press chamber may be correspondingly altered. The delimitationof the ejecting movement of the ejector slide is however fixed so thatno alterations need be undertaken in this respect.

All the features disclosed in the Application Documents are claimed asessential to the invention, insofar as they are new either individuallyor in combination in comparison to prior art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand filling device for filling cigarette tubesincluding filter cigarette tubes with a tobacco skein, comprising asliding casing (12) and a base portion (14) forming a tobacco presschamber extending in a longitudinal direction and including a fixedejector slide (22) in said chamber with a back end wall (22′) andaligned with a forward end opening (24) of said sliding casing, adischarge socket (50) at said end opening (24), a lid (18) covering saidcasing (12) and hinged to the casing, a press head (16) attached to saidlid and movable into said press chamber, said casing (12) being slidablymounted in said base portion and movable in said base portion relativeto said ejector slide (22) for ejecting a tobacco skein pressed intosaid tobacco press chamber from said tobacco press chamber through saidend opening (24) and socket (50) into a cigarette tube, a clamp device(59) for holding a cigarette tube to said socket (5), and anoff-settable stop means (84) located in the path of said slide casing(12) relative to said base portion and thereby controlling the tobaccofilling portion of said press chamber whereby the size of said portion(FL1, FL2, FL3) of the tobacco press chamber is directly adjusted byoff-setting of said stop means relative to the path of said slide casing(12).
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said stop means (84) is atransfer web (84) located in said chamber and is settable in a directionparallel to the direction of ejection of the tobacco skein.
 3. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein said transfer web is located within said baseportion (14) includes a base wall (44) base wall insert portion beingseparately insertable into said base wall (44), and said transverse weblocated in said base wall portion.
 4. The device of claim 3, whereinsaid transverse web is offsettable from a first position forming a firstfilling length (FL1) into at least one different position forming asecond and lesser filling length (FL2, FL3).
 5. The device according toclaim 3, including a plate-like element (90), said transverse web beingintegrally connected to said plate-like element, said base wall in suchportion (88) including a generally rectangular and longitudinal aperture(92), said plate-like element (90) movably mounted in said generallyrectangular aperture (92) and being resiliently engageable therein to animmovably predetermined location.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein saidplate-like element (90) has flat parallel sides and each of said sidesincludes a web (98), each side of said transfer web (84) includes alongitudinal web (94) and spaced parallel projections (96) with a spacetherebetween, said longitudinal webs (98) having apertures (100) locatedat axially interval spacings, said projections (96) of said plate-likeelement configured for resilient engagement with said apertures (100)for establishing the axial position of the plate-like element (90)within said aperture (92) in said base wall portion (88).
 7. The deviceof claim 6, wherein said aperture (92) includes a thrust openingconfigured for insertion of said plate-like element (90), and a closureelement (102) for closing said thrust end opening.
 8. A hand fillingdevice for filling cigarette tubes including filter cigarette tubes witha tobacco skein, comprising a tobacco press chamber extending in alongitudinal direction and having a fixed ejector slide (22) including achamber back end wall (22′)and a base wall and said press chamber havinga forward discharge opening aligned with said ejector slide, a slidingcasing slidably mounted in a base portion (14) and having a socket (5)configured and constructed to support a tobacco skein aligned with saidpress chamber and said ejector slide, a press head connected to thechamber for pressing a tobacco skein into said chamber, said ejectorslide (22) injecting the tobacco skein pressed into the tobacco presschamber skein in response to moving said sliding casing, and includingan offsettable stop means (84) located in the path of said slidingcasing, said stop means being movable and offset from the dischargeopening of said chamber and defining a limit for maximum retraction ofthe said casing relative to said ejector slide (22) and thereby definingthe tobacco filling position and portion of the chamber whereby thefilling length (FL1, FL2, FL3) of the tobacco press chamber isadjustable by the offset of said stop means.
 9. The device according toclaim 8, wherein said offsettable stop means is coupled to said ejectorslide for limiting its maximum retraction.
 10. The device of claim 8,wherein said press head includes a single press head configured for usewith all setting of the stop means.
 11. The device of claim 8 whereinsaid press head includes a single press head operable in all settings ofsaid offsettable stop means.